having endorsed the “automatic publication procedure” at eight (Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Luxembourg, the Republic of Moldova, Monaco, Sweden and Ukraine). The CPT is pleased to note that both the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe have recently encouraged states which have not already done so to request the automatic publication of future CPT visit reports and related government responses.3 Selected publications 29. This section takes a closer look at some of the visit reports and government responses published in 2017. Report on the periodic visit to France in November 2015 and response of the French authorities (treatment of persons in police custody or in remand detention; overcrowding in remand prisons; regime for certain categories of sentenced prisoners, including “radicalised” prisoners; involuntary psychiatric patients and long-term care for the elderly) 30. Several allegations were received by the CPT’s visiting delegation, including from juveniles, of excessive use of force by law enforcement officials at the time of arrest or during interrogation. Verbal violence, including racist and homophobic remarks by law enforcement officials, also appeared to be an issue. Similarly, allegations were received of excessive use of force and verbal abuse at the remand prisons visited. At Fresnes remand prison a number of allegations were received of deliberate blows by certain custodial staff. In its report, the CPT recommends assertive action to prevent all forms of violence against detained persons. 31. The CPT’s report notes that the three remand prisons visited (Fresnes, Nîmes and Villepinte) were affected by severe overcrowding. In particular, in the CPT’s view, the conditions of detention (e.g. lack of living space per prisoner in cells, insufficient number of beds and lack of out-of-cell activities) could be considered inhuman and degrading. In their response to the CPT’s call for urgent action, the French authorities indicate their intention to give priority to remand establishments in the context of a new penitentiary building programme, aimed at improving the safety and work conditions of prison staff, and providing suitable detention conditions. The oneperson-per-cell building programme envisages new prison establishments in several priority districts, with a view to countering overcrowding. So-called Respecto units are being developed in order to allow prisoners to benefit from greater autonomy (freer movement) in exchange for good behaviour and adherence to the rules applicable in the unit. 32. The CPT also notes in its report that poor detention conditions, prison overcrowding and insufficient staff-prisoner interaction may in fact increase the risk 3. Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 2160 (2017) adopted on 26 April, and Committee of Ministers’ reply to Recommendation 2100 (2017), adopted at the 1301st meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies of 29 November. General Report of the CPT, 2017 ► Page 16